Florence’s journey started in January 2020 when she was diagnosed with Leukaemia (AML) as a family we were thrust into the world of a cancer diagnosis! We quickly learnt about blood counts, side effects and the gruelling chemotherapy treatment that Florence had to endure.
Despite the challenges of a global pandemic, that dedication is unwavering and the our team has adapted and pulled together as never before. Pivotal to the cohesion of the team is Lisa Ball, Staff Nurse in ellenor’s Inpatient Unit (IPU). Here, she reflects on the impact Covid-19 has had on the patients she cares for, their families and her team.
The Accumulator Challenge, in aid of ellenor, is back! From an initial investment of £50 and a four-month timescale, you will compete against teams from across Kent and Bexley to become the ellenor Accumulator Champion of 2020. We will give your company a crisp £50 note and four months to find ways of increasing it as much as you can.
Linda’s job may be challenging but she has never doubted the value of her role: “I’ve always wanted to be a palliative care nurse and to help guide people through the challenges of end-of-life care. It’s rewarding to know you’ve done as much as you possibly can for patients and their families and if I’ve helped make their situations better in any way, I know that I’ve done my job right.”
Pandemic or no pandemic, ellenor’s patients and their families know they can count on us to deliver the care that’s so essential to every aspect of their well-being - physical, mental, emotional and spiritual.
Hello, my name is Geoff and I volunteer with the Financial Support Service within the Wellbeing Team at ellenor, providing support to patients, their carers and family.
The current Coronavirus crisis is unprecedented and has placed huge amounts of stress on society and families. Lockdown has presented challenges related to managing work, home schooling and constraints on income or normal routines have resulted in tensions and arguments.
Preparing a child for the death of a loved one, supporting a child after a loved one has died, or helping a child to prepare for their own death is an important and vital part of the work within children’s hospice services. Many adults find this task extremely difficult and very painful, often bringing to the surface their own experiences of loss.
Planning for my care when I am ill has been on my “to do” list for quite some time. You would think in my job I would be reminded of it every day and hasten my efforts to complete writing down my wishes.
We are all spending more time at home at the moment than we might like and this looks set to continue for some time to come. This week is National Gardening Week, so what could be more appropriate than appreciating your garden for its wellbeing benefits.
It is hard to enter ellenor hospice in Gravesend without noticing the lovely garden, visible through the building and from many of the patient rooms and offices. What may be less obvious is the contribution the garden makes to the patients, families, visitors, staff and volunteers who make ellenor the place that it is.
Andrew Lowden talks about what it is like to be a physio in a hospice.
On Wednesday 28 November, the vibrant cast of ‘Peter Pan’ from The Woodville Theatre in Gravesend brought Christmas cheer and laughter to our adult patients in Day Therapy...
Q&A with Katie Gardner, volunteer and previous Area Fundraiser at ellenor, all about our Glorious Gardens programme and how you can get involved...
“The monster showed up after midnight. As they do.”
